Index tab



w. A. HARDY INDEX TAB I Filed July 21 1921 I Patented May 15, 1923.

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INDEX T A Application filed duly 2t, 1921. term! We. ttdtm.

Toallwhomitmaycom'ern:

Be it known that I, Wmrmm A. HARDY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brookl in the county of Kings and 5 State of ew .York, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Index Tabs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a card index del vice, and an object of the. invention is to provide an index device capable first of being readily attached to or detached from a part,

and second of having its head. or index carrying card removed at will so that heads of 1 difierent sizes and kinds may be substituted.

A further object is to provide improved means whereby to detachably connect the device with the card.

A further object is to provide simple and eflicient means whereby to detachably connect together'the body and head parts of the device.

Other objects and aims of the invention more orless specific than those above recited 2 will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following detailed description of the invention, and claimed in the appended claims. 7

In the accompanying drawings, which are at to be taken as a partof this specification, and

in which there is shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of'the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view 'of an index device constructed in accordance with this invention, and showing the same as it appears in use attached to a card;

Fig. 2 is a front eleyational view of the device shown in Fig. l, parts being broken away, for more clearly disclosing the conto struction;

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the device as seen in Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plan of line IV of Fig 5 is a perspective view of the device, showing its body and head parts detached from each other. V

Figs. 6, 7 8, and 9 are diagrammatic edge views illustrating examples of difierent shaped head parts which may be employed.

Referring to the drawings, for describing in detail the structure therein illustrated, the reference character L indicates the card,such

division card in a filing cabinet.

The reference numerals G and H indicate respectively the body and head parts of the index tab.

The body part G in the structure as illustrated is formed mainly from a single piece of sheet metal bent over upon itself to provide depending front and rear leg portions 1 and 2, adapted to straddle the card. At the point 'of the bend the metal is shaped to provlde a flat rib extending longitudinally thereof, adapted to receive and retain the head H, as will be apparent. Slightly below the rib 3, the legs-1 and 2 are shaped to provide a shoulder 4, adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the card L for limitin downward movement'of the body about t e card. In some instances the legs 1 and 2 may be made to normally stand so close together as, by their resiliency, to provide ample grip upon the card, but preferably a special spring device is employed for increasing the grip of the'le'gsupon the card. This spring device asillustrated-consists of a simple leaf spring, as '5 attached to rear leg 2 and having its opposite end portions disposed for directly on aging against the rear surface of the card. heleg 2 is provided with a pair of openings 7-7, through which the spring extends so thatthe intermediate portion as 8, of the spring lies behind or outside of the leg 2. In this way the spring is permanently held a ainst accidental dislodgment and yet its an portions 6 are free to exert a considerable spring pressure against the card, ample suficient to revent the likelihood of accidental detac ment of the tab from the card, and yet of such character as will readily permit of forced sliding movement of the tab longitudinally along the upper edge of the card. This latter is of the utmost importance, since it enables the user to change the position of the tab upon the cagd without the necessity of detaching the ta The head part H is separately formed and as illustrated is also shaped from a single piece of sheet metal, having its opposite longitudinal edge portions bent under and shaped to provide a guide slot 9 beneath a top plate 10. The slot 9 is of such dimensions as-to snugly slidably receive the rib 3 for instance as is ordinarily employed as a of the body. The portions of the sheet metal which are bent under and beneath the top 1 0 are naturally of a resilient character and this resiliency may be taken advantage of for frictionally holding the head against unintenti'onal sliding movement along the rib. To best secure this result, the size of the slot is normally a trifle too small to receive the rib, so that hence the parts forming the slot must be stretched to a slight degree when the rib is introduced.

Upon the upper surface of the top 10 may be printed, painted, or otherwise illustrated any suitable designating marks or characters. Preferably, however, such marks or characters are formed upon a separate rectangular strip, as 11, of card or metal, which is arranged upon the upper surface of the top and which is held in place by a trans parent cover 12, made of celluloid or other similar material. The cover 12 may be detachably held in place in any appropriate manner either by having its edge ortions shaped to fold about opposite longitudinal edge portions of the head, as most clearly seen in Fig. 3, or by simply having its longitudinal edge portions engaged within longitudinal grooves 13, provided by the head as indicated in Fig. 9. In order that the reading matter carried by the head H may be more readily seen and read, it is intended that the rib 3 be shaped to set at an oblique angle so that it may function to hold the head H at substantially the same angle, and here it may be noted that a user having the index cards in his file fitted with body parts G may readily attach to said body parts head parts of any selected dimensions best adapted for carrying desired designating marks. If the head parts which he has previously used are not sufiiciently broad or long, he may detach and discard these and substitute therefor head parts of appropriate size. If the head parts previously used are too long, they may be displaced by head parts of less length.

While it is usually desirable that the head parts be shaped to stand projecting substantially equi-distant at opposite sides of the top, as in Figs. 1 to 5, yet in some instances it is desirable that this relationship be altered. It is contemplated, therefore, in order to meet this possible requirement, that the head parts instead of being shaped with the guide slot 9 centrally thereof, as in said Figs. 1 to 5, said slot may be provided at either the upper longitudinal edge of the head as in Fig. 6, or at the lower longitudinal edge as in Fig. 7. Obviously said slot can be provided at either of these or at any intermediate positions, and in either case the disposition of the rib 3, cooperating with the walls of the slot, of course, will serve to hold the head in the desired oblique position.

In some instances it may be desired that the head stand in the customary vertical position, and it is herein contemplated that to meet this requirement, the head may readily be formed with its rib receiving the slot shaped to engage the rib and to hold the head in a position as shown in Fig. 8.

Various other modifications of structural details and arrangements may clearly be resorted to along these lines. As many changes can be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A card index tab comprising a body part and a head part, the body part including portions to straddle the card, and a spring device formed of material different from the body part and being carried by the body part and adapted to engage the card to frictionally retain the body part connected with the card.

2. A card index tab comprising a body part and a head part, the body part including portions to straddle the card, and a leaf spring carried by said body part disposed for engaging the card to frictionally retain the body part connected with the card.

3. A card index tab comprising a body part and a head part, the body part including portions to straddle the card, and a leaf spring carried by said body part having both its ends disposed to engage the card to frictionally retain the body part connected with the card.

4. A card index tab comprising a body part and a head part, the body part being shaped to provide a pair of legs for straddling the card, and a leaf spring carried by one of said legs having its opposite end portions disposed between said legs adapted-to engage against the card for frictionally retaining the body part connected with the car 5. A card index tab comprising a body part and a head part, the body part being shaped to provide a pair of legs for straddling the card, and a leaf spring carried by one of said legs disposed to extend longitudinally of the straddled edge of the card, having its opposite end portions disposed for engaging the card at spaced points along the said edge portion of the card adapted to frictionally retain the body part against detachment from the card and to yieldingly restrain movement of the tab longitudinally of the edge of the card.

6. An index tab comprising a bod art and a head part, the body part incihding means whereby it may be connected with a memes card, the head part having portions between which an index strip may be held independently of the body part, and said body and head parts having means cooperative to 5 render said parts separable at will.

7. An index tab comprising a body part and a head part, an index bearing strip to be carried by the head part and a cover for said strip, said cover being of transparent 10 material and having ed e portions shaped to extend about and to t ereby slidably engage the head lpart whereby to-"jrender said cover detachab e at will, and said body and head parts having means cooperative to render said body and head parts separable 15 at will.

In testimony whereof I a my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WIN FIELD A. DY. Witnesses Y L. GESBFORD NDY,

Y So. 

